Prologue

The story begins with our narrator, A.G.N., vexed by the stationmaster's inefficiencies during his travels. In the early 1800s of Russia, travelers embarked upon their journeys with horses provided by post-stations, journeying from one town to another along the established post-roads. Charged with the issuance of essential road permits and the management of these travel horses, the stationmaster bore a significant responsibility.

However, as the narrative unfolds, the narrator's perception shifts, portraying the stationmaster as "a veritable martyr of the fourteenth class." Here, the allusion is made to the Table of Ranks, a system in Czarist Russia that categorized government service workers, including military personnel, into a distinct social hierarchy. The fourteenth class marked the lowest of these ranks. Through evocative examples of mistreatment and challenges faced by stationmasters, the narrator appeals to the "reader's conscience," painting a picture of a man often subjected to verbal and physical abuse.

Part II

In this segment, the narrator reflects upon a particular stationmaster he encountered during his travels. Under the sweltering sun, a sudden spring shower caught him by surprise as he arrived at a station "along a route that has since been abandoned." In need of warmth and comfort, he was welcomed by the stationmaster and his enchanting fourteen-year-old daughter, Dunia. The stationmaster himself was "a man about fifty years of age, still fresh and agile," presenting an image of enduring vitality.

While the stationmaster attended to the paperwork for fresh horses, the narrator found himself captivated by a series of illustrations chronicling the Biblical tale of the Prodigal Son. Engaging in spirited conversation and sipping a drink, he enjoyed the company of the stationmaster and Dunia, as if they were old and cherished companions. As he prepared to leave, the narrator requested a kiss from Dunia, to which she graciously acquiesced.

Part III

Years drift by before the narrator once more finds himself near the station, pondering the fates of the stationmaster and Dunia during the intervening time. Upon his return, he is struck by the familiar imagery of the Prodigal Son, yet both the station and its master have succumbed to neglect's relentless grip.

Inquiring after Dunia, the stationmaster recounts a fateful winter's eve when "a slim young hussar," a cavalry officer, arrived in a tempestuous mood. His ire quickly melted away upon meeting Dunia. As the horses were prepared for his journey, the officer feigned illness, claiming he could not continue. Offering the hussar his own bed, the stationmaster allowed Dunia to tend to him until a doctor's arrival the next day.

The doctor, conversing with the officer in German — a language the stationmaster did not understand — informed him of the officer's need for more rest. That day, the officer and doctor indulged in a meal and wine. Once recovered, the hussar invited Dunia to accompany him to church in his carriage. Despite her initial hesitation, her father encouraged, "His Honor's not a wolf; he won't eat you: go ahead, ride with him as far as the church."

Later, the stationmaster was haunted by regret. What folly had led him to allow Dunia to leave with the hussar? An unbearable worry surged within him, compelling him to follow them to church. There, he found the congregation dispersing, yet Dunia was nowhere to be found. Rushing into the nearly vacant church, the sexton confirmed his worst fears — Dunia had not attended the mass. With a heart heavy as stone, he returned home, feeling more dead than alive. (Excerpt from "The Stationmaster," translated by Paul Debreczeny.)

Grief-stricken at the loss of his daughter, the stationmaster was...